Better Business Bureau says beware of reported roofing scams

By Brittany Pelletz&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Wed 5:11 PM, Apr 10, 2013&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Wed 5:26 PM, Apr 10, 2013

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - "I've already kicked them out of the neighborhood and told them to not come back. They were here. He came to my house, their house, and their house, and down the road, whatever," Dick Owen explains to his letter carrier.

Owen is a retired Lexington police officer and is still fighting crime in his neighborhood,"I can remember as a rookie in the 70s the same thing cropping up."

Owen says some door-to-door roofers are targeting people who are vulnerable where he lives. He claims they're doing faulty work, "He left these nails exposed so the water would have just gone under the nail and into the hole. So she still would have had problems."

Owens believes his neighbor was ripped off, "He says you need something painted and he'll do it for $200."

Owens lives a neighborhood that backs up to Johnson Heights Park. But it's not just in his Lexington neighborhood where this is happening. Officials with the Better Business Bureau tells WKYT that these out-of-town roofers are targeting other areas too.

"Some of them said the price changed when they got off the roof charging a higher amount. Most people we have heard from have been the type who aren't always able to check out their roofs themselves. The elderly, disabled, widows," says Heather Clary, the Director of Communications with the BBB.

Clary advises those in need of roof repairs to do their research before letting anyone climb up, "If someone shows up unsolicited certainly ask them for all of their identifying information so that you can check them out. Make sure they have appropriate liability insurance before you let them on your property."

Clary says there is always a risk doing business with out-of-town roofers because once they leave town, you may not be able to reach them with questions or concerns. However, Clary says that not all traveling roofers are doing bad business.

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